The Trouwlaan in Tilburg has been without street lighting for two weeks. Despite the fact that a large number of complaints have been submitted to the municipality, it will also remain dark on the main road this weekend. The residents are fed up and have put up their own lamps to make the street a bit safer.
The lanterns have been out for days for almost the entire length of Trouwlaan and a number of adjacent streets. The first reports go back almost three weeks. In the Fixi app, an app for notifications about the outdoor space, local residents are complaining that nothing is burning and it is ‘pitch dark’ on the street. Complaints about the Trouwlaan are also coming from surrounding streets.
“I bought 24 LED bulbs and taped them around the lanterns.”
Ton van de Ven lives at the Trouwlaan and he was fed up on Friday. “I went to the Lampengrossier myself, bought 24 LED lamps and taped them around the lampposts.” However, these lamps will probably be empty in two days because they are continuously on and run on batteries.
The Trouwlaan is a through road that is mainly used by many cyclists who drive from the center of Tilburg to Stappegoor. “It’s a really busy street. I’m not someone who is quick to complain or seek publicity, but I don’t understand why it should take so long.”
“Waiting two weeks for repair is really not possible.”
Ton was told by the municipality that the complaints will be dealt with within a maximum of five working days, but that the problems are actually with the network operator. “But if grid operator Enexis also gets five days, you’ll be two weeks further. All that time no lighting and waiting for repairs is really impossible!”
Some residents of the Trouwlaan are also afraid that burglars will have free rein because the lighting does not work. “These people were told by the municipality that they should call the police, but why? They can’t do it,” says Ton.
“It’s waiting for accidents.”
He is especially afraid that accidents will happen in the dark street. “Cyclists often don’t have a light on, cars don’t always drive neatly here either. You have to wait for accidents.” In addition, according to Ton, the sidewalk is not in order everywhere. “If I almost trip in daylight, you can see how older people like my 77-year-old mother fare when they walk the dog in the pitch dark.”
As far as Ton is concerned, the municipality must act as quickly as possible. “I’m going to the Action later to get some lamps so that you at least see something. A number of lamps have also been stolen in the meantime.” The municipality of Tilburg was unable to respond substantively to the broken street lighting on Saturday evening and says it will come back to it on Monday.
